Foldable wardrobe



N. M. ROBERT FOLDABLE WARDROBE May 17 1927.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 19, 1922` May 17 1927.

FnedAug. 19. 1922 N. M. ROBERT ABLE mannose 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 17, 1927o UmTEn STATES PATENT sTTic-s FOLDABLE WARDROBE.

Application lerd August 19, 1922. Serial 110.582,865.

This invention relates to improvements in foldable wardrobes and appertains more particularly to cabinets or receptacles for wearing apparel constructed of flexible sheet matcrial and capable of being folded when not in use.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a wardrobe of the character referred to in which the articles of wearing apparel within the wardrobe are effectually protected against to provide for convenient access to the wardrobe for insertion or removal of articles therefrom, to provide a structure which is sanitary and easily cleaned, to provide a structure which can be folded and secured in the form of a compact bundle convenient to carry or to pack for transportation, to provide simple, easily detached parts by means of which the wardrobe may be made rigid and self-supporting, and to vaccomplish the above objects by means of a structure which may be made of inexpensive materials which can be cheaply manufactured, but which nevertheless is durable and of pleasing appearance.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description and annexed drawing, which set forth in detail certain means embodying the invention, the disclosed means, however, constituting but one of the various mechanical forms in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

Reference should'be had to the accompanying Vdrawings forming a part of this specification, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the wardrobe in operative position with the front flaps open; Fig. 2 is a: perspective view showing the top and bottom members of the wardrobe folded and the body portion fiat; Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the wardrobe folded and in a compact bundle, and Fig. 4 is a. perspective view of the wardrobe with the supportingV posts secured thereto, Fig. 5 is va section on line .fr-5 ofvFig. 4; Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the front portion of the wardrobe showing the manner of securing the detachable door flaps; Fig. is a fragmentary perspective view of the top member of the wardrobe Fig. S is 'a detailed view partially in section showing the sections of a supporting postr detached; Fig. 9' is a vertical section through afrol-ner of the wardrobe showing the manner of connecting the lsupporting post of the bottom member. Fig. 10 is a perspecgrime, smoke, moths, dust and dirt,l

tive view showing additional features of construction; Fig. 11 is a top planview ofthe structnre shown in Fig. 10. y I

Referring to the annexed" drawings, the wardrobe consists of rigid top and bottom members and a body portion formed by'a sheet of flexible material connected along opposite edges to the edges of the rigid top and bottom members. The top and bottom members are identical in construction and consist of two rigid rectangular plates or boards 1 and 2 which abut edge .to edge and are secured together by hinges 3 secured to the outer faces of the sections 1 and 2. The hinges 3 permit the sections 1 and 2 to fold inwardly.' vVhen the wardrobe is in use it is desirable that the sections 1 and 2 be rigidly secured together against folding movement. yFor this purpose hooks 4 are pivoted to the section 2 and engage pins 5 secured to the section 1 as shown in Fig. 7. A sheet of flexible material is permanently secured to the side and back edges of the top` and bottom members forming side walls 6 and 7 and the rear ywall 8 ofthe wardrobe. The free ends of the sheet of flexible material forming the body of the wardrobe are at the front and form door flaps which are detachably secured across the front of the wardrobe. The flap 9 which forms 'a con tinuation of the side wall 6 is permanently secured along the front edge of the bottom member. The upper edge of the flap 9 is detachably secured to the front edge of the top member. For securing the flap 9 to the top member complementary snap fastener members 10 and 11 are secured to the sec` tion 2 `of the top member adjacent the wall 7 and tothe upper corner of the Hap 9 respectively. The door flap 12 is a continuation of the side wall 7 and is detachably connected to both the top and bottom members.V f Snap fastener members 13 and 14 are at-A tached to the sections 1 of the top and bottom members on their front and side edges ad jacent the corner at the front edge of the wall 6. Complementary snap fastener members 15 and 16are secured to the Supper and lower corners of the flap 12 and engage with the members '13 and14 on' the top and bottom members.. As shown inFig. G'theflap 12 extends past the corner of the wardrobe tasses and overlaps Vthe side wall 6 at its freeedge. n'

The flaps 9l and 12 overlap across the entire `front of the vwardrobe-and form a'n effective seal against the entry of d ust laden air to the The depending'portion, of the hanger strip 18 ,is provided.: with number of apertures reinforced by surta le eyelets 19 m which the hooks. of the clothes hangers can be i'nsented, Yhelthe wardrobe is folded the hanger strip 18 lies fiat against the underfacefofthe section 1 of the top member. The top Yof the wardrobe is covered by a piece of flexible lmaterial 2O which has its side edges eatendinf over the edges of the top member and voveryingfthe upper edges of Athe side walls. The -ov'efrhanging Vedges of the inember 2O form an effective seal over the upper 'free edges of the `walls and prevent entry of dust betweeny the 'edges of the top member iind the ,ledges 'of the walls, especially at the front where vthe ldetacluible connections arfeproyzided .for the 9 and 12. The `walls oxfthe wardrobe and the cover are preferably fo ed of aterp'roof material, such as oil cloth', leather, rubberized fabric, lor l'th'elile which do not collect dust and which can be readily washed upon the outside. xTo SI Jrofvide convenient means for carryingthelwardrobe when folded' intoy a bundle, 'as v.shown in" 3, 4handle lmembers 22ar`id A23 arev secured` yto the vtop and bottom members. addit onal handle member 24 may beseci'ired tottlie Vtop member to provide means 'folrwhangrng ythe wardrobe from a suitablelsupport.-` Straps 25 are secured to the 'top member andare adapted to encircle the br'idle formed bythe folded wardrobe, @ashore in Fis-e the SEMPSQ@ beine' Pref vided with `suitableL snap( fasteners Y26 for securing the straps inencircling position. f

To "makte'the wardrobe 'selffsupporting rigid' corner posts maybe detachably se'- cured between the top and ybottom members.

These posts Vare preferably sectional 4so V*that the be secured within, the bundle when thejwardrobe is` folded. The posts consist bers. n i I i y l Y 'At the bottomof the wardrobe, foot pieces have threaded extensions 31 of :reduced diameter whichfextend through the apertures vin thevbottorn member and arescrewed into the vsockets 29 of the corner posts rigidly clamping the bottoinineinber between the foot piece 30 and the lower end of the corner postte. The topof the wardrobe has ornamental knobs which have threaded extensions 33 of reduced diameter which pass through the apertures vrat the "corners of the top member and are screwed into the sockets 29 at the upper ends ofthe cor er posts. When the corner lposts are securec in position as above described, they form with the top and bottom members, a. 'rigid frame work which serves to support the wardrobe on the floor. The corner post can be quickly released by unscrewing the foot pieces 3Q `knobs 32, und when so released, can be readily removed from t'heinterior of the wardrobe. p i

ln folding the wardrobe the sections yof the posts may be secured within the bundle.

lin ligs.` l() land 11 is shown la. fold'alole wardrobe similar to that, previously de,-A seribed, but which embodiessome Ladditional features of construction. The top and bot,- tom members and the side walls are formed in substantially the same manner Ajas wardrobe shown in Fig. I1. She flap 12, however, has a strip 35 sewed toits upper edge which has snap fastener' 'members 36 "s l'ured therein which are adapted toi engage 'complen'ientary snap 'fastener in nbers upon the top of the top member 1n along lits front edge, formi'n'gyan etlecthie closure along Atheupper edge of the flap. Gtherwise 'the ldoor flaps are securedy in place exactly as shown in 1'. rlfhecovver 2Oa differs from the corp responding cover shown in Fig. 1, in rvthatthe liaps thereof overhanging'the upper edges the side walls and ythe front flaps thereof have complementarysnap fasteners 37 and 38 by means 'of which they can. ybe secured together and iheld againstthe vside walls.

A'detachable lining 40 of silk or yotliersuitable material may be secured upon the inf, side of the wardrobe. The lining lis secured by detachable snap fasteners 451 to the 'top andfb'ottom members along their side. and rear edges and have fla-psf@ and 43 f they are detaehably secured along their upper andv lower edges by snap fasteners y441. The dementie onnecuons permit the` 1ining 4 0 to beremoyied Awhen desiredlfo-r cleane ing or pressing. Vhen yused upon a wardi robe to which the corner posts are Aattached. the l'iningcovers the p'ostsan'd conceals 'theni fr nnfview..A

Having Ydescribed my, invention, 'I yclaim-z. y 1. foldable wardrobe comprising '.col lapsibl'e walls Iof 'flexible materiah and top and bottom members` lto whichsaidfeizible walls are secured, rsaid top aridfbottomfinein-k bers each formed of two rigid sections'i hinged together to fold inwardly, said walls 'overlying thedoor yflaps 9'h1 ,and `12)a 'to ,which 112i ilo being foldable between said top and bottom members when the same are folded inwardly to form therewith a compact bundle.

2. A foldable wardrobe comprising top and bottom members each formed of two rigid rectangular sections arranged edge to edge and hinged on the outside along their abutting edges whereby said top and bottom members are adapted to be folded inwardly, means carried by said sections for locking said sections against folding movement, and collapsible walls of flexible material secured to said top and bottom members, said walls being formed of a single piece of flexible fabric, the free edge portions of which overlap across the front of the wardrobe and are detachably fastened to the top and bottom members.

3. A foldable wardrobe comprising walls of flexible material, top and bottom members to which said walls are secured, said top and bottom members each being formed of rigid sections hinged together to fold inwardly, said walls being foldable between said top and bottom members when the same are folded inwardly to form therewith a compact bundle, and handles carried by said top and bottom members.

4. A foldable wardrobe, comprising top and bottom members each formed of rigid rectangular sections arranged edge to edge and hinged to fold inwardly, walls of flexible material secured to the edges of said top and bottom members, said walls being foldable between said top and bottom members when the same are folded inwardly to form therewith a compact bundle, straps secured to the top member and adapted to encircle the bundle, and handles carried by said top and bottom members.

5. A foldable wardrobe, comprising a rigid top member, walls of flexible material secured to said top member, said walls being foldable, anda hanger receiving member consisting of a strip of iexible material secured along one edge to the under face of the top member and provided with a row of hook receiving openings, said hanger member being adapted to lie flat against the top member when the wardrobe is folded.

6. A foldable wardrobe comprising rigid top and bottom members having apertures adjacent the corners thereof, walls of flexible material secured to said top and bottom members, rigid corner posts the ends of which abut the inner faces of said top and bottom members, said posts having threaded sockets in the ends thereof adapted to reg ister with the apertures in said top and bottom members, foot pieces having threaded extensions of reduced ydiameter passing through the apertures in the bottom mem- -ber and engaging in the threaded sockets in the lower ends of the posts, and knobs having threaded extensions passing through the apertures in the top member and engaging in the threaded sockets in the upper ends of the posts.

7. A foldable wardrobe comprising rigid top and bottom members, side and back walls of flexible material permanently secured to said top and bottom members, a frontl .wall formed by flaps forming continuations of opposite side walls overlapping across thefront of the wardrobe and detachn ably secured to the top and bottom members, and a detachable inner lining connected by detachable fasteners to the top and bottom members' along the side and rear edges thereof, said lining having flaps overlying the door flaps and attached thereto by detachable fasteners.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

NELLYY MARGUERITE ROBERT. 

